Toy submarine



Jan. 12', 1937.

A. J. MIDDLER TOY SUBMARINE Filed Oct. 26. 1953 INVENTOR trim ATTORNEYS` Patented Jan. 12, 1937 Unirse srAres EATENT OFFICE TOY SUBMARINE a Alexander J. Middler, Detroit, Application October 26, 1933, Serial No. 695,303

12 Claims. (Cl. l16-94) This invention relates to toy boats which may be operated either as a cruiser or as a submarine and is characterized by its novel manner of operation when set to operate as a submarine whereby it alternately cruises first above water and thenA below Vwater for an indenite number of times, depending upon the length of time the motor mechanism will operate. If the motor stops while it is submerged it will rise to the 'surfacef The boat is further characterized by its ability to operate as an ordinary cruiser without submerging, in which case a greater part of its hull v`remains above water than is the case when it is cruising between dives as above described.

With the above and other ends in view the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, ,reference being had to the accompanye air bleeding device. 30 i ing drawing, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line I-fl of Fig. 2; Y

Fig, 2 is a top pla-n* view of the boatj` Fig. Bis a vertical cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; p

UFig.) lis a vertical line taken along the line 4-7-4 of Fig.` 1, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the periscope More particularly, of the boat which is preferably made to closely resemble a large submarine and which may be made out of a water proofed wood or other ma- Aterial but which is shown as made of sheet metal because of its ready manufacture and non-absorptive qualities. More or less amidship, a motor and variable air compartment 2 is formed by the insertion of the partitions or walls 3 which `divide the hull into three air compartments 2, '4, and 5, the compartments d and 5 being sealed at all times to provide the proper amount of buoyancy. An opening in the forward wall of the partition 3 is used as a bearing for a stamped winding gear 6 having an integral hub portion 'I v"serving as a journal therefor. The interior of this hub portion l receives and supports the end of a rod filler 8 for the motor spring 9 having one end hooked over a pin I0 integral with the `gear The other end of the ller rod 8 is supported by one gear II of a plurality of reduction gears I2, the other end of the motor spring also being secured to this gear Il by means of a pin I3 for driving the reduction gears I2. The reduction gears are supported from a substantial partition or plate I4 within the Walls 3 as it is,

I indicates the shell or hull of course, desirable to keep these gears from binding. This plate with the gearingy attached is removable as a unit. A propeller shaft I5 journalled at one end in the wall I, extends through a housing I6 which traverses the compartment 5, and then through the hull at I'I. A suitable propeller I8 is secured on the propeller shaft, and both rudders I9 and elevators 20 are pivoted to a supporting frame 2l, the connection having substantial friction so that the rudders and elevators may be given a desired angularity which will be maintained. Aft of the partition I4 a collar 22 takes the thrust of the propeller and serves as a brake drum for a friction rod 23 operable exteriorly of the hull. A cover plate 24 is detachably secured to the bottom of the hull. This plate is provided with a plurality of openings 25 therethrough to inlet water when air is vented from the compartment 2.

In order to wind the spring motor 9 a pinion 26 integral with a turret 21 for a deck gun 28 is rotatably mounted in a sleeve 29 secured to the hull, although a number of other ways might be used to accomplish the energizing.

An air venting device herein illustrated as resembling a periscope is inserted through the hull and through the wall 3. This consists of a tube 30 hollow for a portion of its length slidably mounted against an appropriate amount of friction in a sleeve 3l secured to the deck and to a conning tower or super structure 32 on the deck. The tube 3U has a series of apertures 33 radially thereof so that the rate of venting air from the compartment 2 may be controlled by the number of holes uncovered when the boat is placed upon the water.

In operation, while the spring motor 9 has been wound and held against movement by the brake rod 23, the three compartments 2, 4, and 5 are full of air. If the periscope is set so that the air vents are closed and the boat is placed in the water whereupon the brake is released, it will cruise around as dictated by the angularity of the rudder I9. A considerable portion of the hull will be above the water. If, now, the periscope is shifted so that one or more vents will open the compartment 2 to the atmosphere, water will gradually enter the compartment 2 through the openings 25 to replace the escaping air and this compartment will become filled with water. The boat may then cruise for a short distance with the top of the hull and the super structure visible whereupon it will dive, the exact time and angularity of the dive seemingly depending upon the speed of the boat, the angularity of the elevwhen it is picked up out of the water.

phere and water is free to fill this compartment,.

the boat is buoyant by a small but appreciable amount.

In order to insureA that the boat will maintain an even keel, the bottom should be properlyV weighted and I therefore use two ballast weights 3d and 35 of lead or some suitable material. If desired a screen 36 of suitable gauze material. may be employed to prevent solid matter such a s weeds and the like from finding the driving gears.

It is essential that a proper predetermined buoyancy be preserved, as hereinbefore indicated. This requires that the main air compartments 4, 5 be Water tight. For this reason the propeller shaft I5 is housed by the tube I6 which carries the rear propeller shaft bearing in such manner that the rear bearing is lubricated by water and leakage of water through this bearing does not constitute a leakage into the air compartments. By permitting ready ow of water through this tube the water readily drains out of the entire boat The tube I6 is therefore transversely ported at 31 by means of a passage leading to the outside of the hull.

What I claim is: K

l. A toy submarine comprising a hull divided into a plurality of compartments, one ofsaid compartments housing a motor and reduction gears, said motor compartment having apertures in the bottom thereof for inletting water thereto, a tube vclosed at its outer end extending from said motor Jcompartment outwardly through the top thereof and having openings along the side thereof, said tube being adjustable inwardly and outwardly of said hull to regulate the rate of air escape affecting the time of cruising prior to diving, and a propeller for rotation by said motor.

2. In a toy submarine, a hull having a spring motor therein, a gear associated with said spring motor for energization thereof, and a simulation of a deck gun outwardly of said hull, the turret of said gun extending to said gear and having a 'pinion in mesh therewith whereby said spring motor may be energized by rotation of said gun.

. 3. In a toy submarine, a hull having an air compartment therein, a conning tower on said hull outwardly of said air compartment, and an air venting device comprising a sleeve supported internally of said conning tower, and a tube resembling a periscope frictionally secured in said sleeve, said tube being closed at its outer end and k'in communication with said air compartment at its inner end, said tube having openingsv along the length thereof, said tube being adjustable inwardly and outwardly of said sleeve to prevent the escape of air from said compartment and to regulate the rate of escape of air whereby the time of cruising before settling into diving trim may be regulated.

4. In a toy boat, a hull having a motor compartment therein, a demountable panel in said compartment toward one end thereof having a plurality of gears rotatably supported therefrom, a spring filler shaft coaxial withand supported at one end by one of said gears and rotatably supported at its other end by one wall of said compartment, a coil spring encircling said shaft for torsional energization, said spring having one end secured to the gear coaxial with said filler shaft for rotation thereof, means for energizing said spring from the other end thereof, and a propeller outwardly of said hull for rotation by said gears.

5. In a toy boat, a hull, a motor compartment in said hull open to the water, a propeller shaft in said hull extending into said motor compartment, and a housing for said propeller shaft through which water is free to flow from said motor compartment.

6. In a toy boat, a hull, a motor compartment in said hull open to the water at the bottom thereof, a propeller shaft extending from within said compartment outwardly through said hull, a housing for said shaft extending from said compartment substantially thel entire length of said shaft, said housing being of substantially larger diameter than said shaft and having a shaft bearing near the rear end thereof, said housing being open near its rear end to permit a ow of water therethrough.

7. In a toy boat, a hull, a power plant compartment in said hull, a propeller shaft extending from the power plant in said compartment to a propeller outwardly of said hull, an elongated tube for said propeller shaft having a bearing in the rear end thereof for said shaft, and means for inletting water to said power plant compartment, said compartment being open to said tube, said tube having an openingthrough its walls adjacent said bearing whereby a scavenging flow of water may ow through said tube during propulsion of said hull.

8. In a toy submarine, a hull having a power plant compartment substantially amidship thereof and sealed air compartments fore and aft of said power plant compartment, a power plant in said power plant compartment, a propeller shaft extending from said power plant through the aft air compartment, a tubular housing for said shaft completely sealing said aft air compartment against entry of air or water because of said shaft, said housing being open to said'power plant compartment and having a bearing for said shaft near the rear end thereof, means for lnletting water into said compartment and said housing. and port means for outletting the water from said housing at a point adjacent said bearing whereby a scavenging flow of water traverses said housing during propulsion of said submarine.

9. In a toy boat, a hull, a power plant compartment in said hull having reduction gears therein, means for inletting water to and means for outletting water from said power plant compartment whereby said gears are immersed, and a strainer over said inletting means whereby said gears are protected from the entry of miscellaneous matter with the flow of water.

10. In a toy submarine, a hull having a power plant compartment substantially amidship thereof having a large opening and sealed air compartments fore and aft of said power plant compartment, a propeller shaft extending through openings therethrough to permit the entry of water to said power plant.

12. In a toy submarine, a hull having a power plant compartment therein substantially amidship thereof, said hull having an opening in the bottom thereof substantially coextensive with the bottom of said compartment, said hull having sealed air compartments fore and aft of said power plant compartment, a tubular'member integral with the rear wall of said power plant compartment extending through said aft air compartment and integrally secured to the rear end of said hull, said tubular member having a propeller shaft journal .bearing near the rear end thereof and an opening through the wall thereof forwardly of said bearing, a bodily removable motor in said power plant compartment including a gear plate slightly spaced from the rear wall thereof and a torsion spring supported from the front wall thereof, a propeller shaft journalled in said bearing and extending to said gear plate for operative connection to the gearing carried thereby, and a removable plate for said opening comprising means for retaining said motor in place, said plate having openings therethrough for the 110W of Water through said power plant compartment and out of the opening in said tubular member.

ALEXANDER J. MIDDLER. 

